The St. Petersburg-based Duke Energy Foundation announced Tuesday that it would offer $740,000 in grants to 18 education-based organizations statewide. The overarching goal is to support Florida’s growing workforce and encourage environmental resiliency research at state universities. Local organizations receiving funding include the Pinellas Education Foundation and the University of South Florida.
The Speer Dream Foundation has exponentially increased its support for St. Petersburg College’s First Step Scholarship program. The initiative targets South St. Pete residents interested in non-degree workforce certifications. The nonprofit presented SPC with a $250,000 check Tuesday. The school provided 45 scholarships over the program’s first two years and anticipates awarding 100 in 2024.
CareerSource Hillsborough Pinellas announced today that former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams will serve as the keynote speaker Oct. 1 at the Opportunity Youth Summit in Tampa. Williams founded The Rebound, a substance abuse therapy program, and the event’s focus is how to get troubled youth between 18 and 24 back into school or the workforce. The Opportunity Youth Summit is from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Tampa Mariott Water Street. For more information, visit the website here.
St. Petersburg has created a new graphic information system (GIS) mapping tool to help homeowners easily determine if zoning permits an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on their property. City officials continue expanding ADU-permissible areas throughout St. Petersburg, and the user-friendly platform provides a simple way to explore housing options. To explore the GIS map, visit the website here.
Chef Lee Wolen and Chicago-based Boka Restaurant Group announced Tuesday that they will open an upscale establishment serving steak and seafood at the Vinoy Resort & Golf Club in downtown St. Petersburg. Wolen earned a Michelin star at Boka and said St. Pete “holds a special place in my heart” in a prepared statement. Elliott Aster, named after the Florida wildflower and Vinoy developer Gene Elliott, will occupy 10,000 square feet indoors and 4,000 square feet outdoors in the former Marchand’s Bar & Grill space. The restaurant will open in early 2025.
A new Zillow Home Loans analysis found that Tampa Bay is among 22 of the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas where mortgage payments are cheaper than monthly rents. The real estate platform's report found that mortgage rates have dipped to the lowest point since early 2023. Tampa Bay residents typically pay $2,106 in monthly rent but $1,1914 for a mortgage.
Gallagher's Pumpkin Patch opened Monday at 7401 4th St. N. The family-owned pumpkin patch has operated in the city for over 30 years and now features food, games, a bounce house, animal encounters and a petting zoo. Gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
While St. Petersburg’s seven pedestrian fatalities match the total received through September 2023, its bicyclist deaths (four) have doubled year-over-year. The St. Pete Police Department recently launched a high-visibility campaign to increase pedestrian and bicyclist safety. The agency received a $67,629 grant to bolster education and enforcement efforts on major thoroughfares throughout the city over the next several months as part of a statewide initiative.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) is again competing for multiple Readers’ Choice Awards in USA Today’s annual contest. A panel of industry experts and editors nominated the facility in the Best Large Airport and four dining categories. While TPA held the top spot for best airport last week, the rankings are now hidden until USA Today announces the winners Oct. 2.
President Rhea Law believes the University of South Florida can soon join the nation’s top 25 public institutions. USF became the state’s first in 40 years to receive an Association of American Universities (AAU) invitation in 2023, and multiple publications now include the school in their top 50 lists. Law also reiterated USF’s goal of raising $1 billion in research funding by 2030 at her Fall Address event Thursday.
Pinellas County officials and community leaders ceremoniously broke ground Friday on a long-anticipated park in an underserved community founded by an African American sharecropper in 1946. The 12-acre park in the Greater Ridgecrest area of unincorporated Largo will feature a multi-use path, picnic shelters, benches and restrooms. Dansville Community Park should open in the fall of 2025.
Strengthening campus synergy across Pinellas County is a focal point of St. Petersburg College's updated multiyear Facilities Master Plan. One project highlight is a new advanced manufacturing lab at the Midtown Campus in South St. Pete. The master plan also includes expanding SPC’s nursing program at its Clearwater and Midtown Campuses, which will foster new partnerships.
